Improvement in combination-locks



Mesas-M H.` S. LELAND, OF MUNT UNION, OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 88,490, dated Mtl/rch v30, 1869.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the isame.

To all whom it 'may conce/rn'.-

Be it known that I, H. S. LELAND, of Mount Union, inthe county of Stark, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Combination-Lock5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, referenceA being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters o f reference marked thereon,

of' which drawings- Figure l is an elevation of the front, or outer portion of my look, with the cover removed.

Figure 2 is an elevation of rear, or inside portion of my lock, with the cover,'bolt, and knobs, removed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the lock, made by planes 2 2, in iigs. l and 2, the outer and inner portions of the lock being 'shown in their proper position on the door, and the covers being shown on the inner and outer portions ot' the lock. .A

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the inner portion of the lock, made by plane 3 3, in iig. 2, the cover, bolt, and knobs, being shown in position.

Figure 5 is an inside view of the cover ofthe inner portion of the lock; the bolt, shifter-plate, lock-plate, and retaining-plate, being shown in said cover, in their proper posit-ion, with -respect to themselves and theV cover.

Figures 6 are detail side view and sectional view of the tumbler, arbor, and its connections.`

Figures 7 are details of tumbler.

Figures 8 are detail ot' tumbler-collar.

` Figures 9 are detail ot ratchet-wheel collar.

Figures IO-are detail of ratchet-whcel. Figures ll are side view and plan of retaining-plate. Figures 12 are details, showing mode of constructing the arbors, which connect the outer and inner port-ions of the lock, so as to render it adjustable to doors of different thicknesses.

The nature of my invention consists in the peculiar construction of a combination-lock, which is made in two parts, the inner part, which is attached to the inside of the door to be secured, containing the tumblers and bolt, with peculiar mechanism for operating and setting the same, while the outer part, which is attached to the outside of the door, and is connected with the inner part by suitable arbors, contains, a simple set of wheels and levers, by means of which the tumblers are brought into a proper position for allowing the bolt to be thrown back, and which has also a knob, by which the bolt is thrown back from the outside, or the door locked when on the outside of the same.

The whole loe-k is so arranged, that when the door is locked it canbe opened by any 'person from the inside, but cannot be unlocked, or opened by any person on the outside, unless such person knows 011 ,what combination the. lock is set. It may be soA set that it can be locked on the inside or outside, or so that it cannot be locked from the outside, or may be so left that the` door may be opened or locked on either side, the peculiar utility of this lock, asidefrom its great number of combinations, and the great ditculty of picking it,

or blowing it of?, consisting in thel fact, that while it` A represents the `Trame-plate for the inner part of the lock, on which are arranged the post s V V V V and the uprights X X, Y, W W, and 7.

The tumbler-arbors K K K K are hung in the nprights X X and W NV, as shown, and have arrangcd'on them the tumblers a, tumbler-collars b, ratchet-wheels c, and ratchet-wheel collars h, together with the conical spiral springs c and stop-pin o, as shown.

The shifter-plate H and lock-plate I are made in the form shown, and slide in grooves in the posts V V V V, the long arms I I of the lock-plate I, sliding over the shifter-plate H, as shown.` l

The cover B of this inner part is of the form shown in igs. 3, 4, and 5, and has arranged in it the bolt G and the retaining-plate J, which are operated from the outside of the cover, by the vknobs S and T, (see iig. 4,) which areattached to spindles on said bolt and re- A taining-plates, said spindles passing through suitable slots in the cover B, as fully shown in fig'. 4.

The bolt G is kept pushed forward by the spiral spring U, which is placed between the back of thevboltV and the upright, Y, as shown in tig. 4, being held in position by the pin f. y

Slots i i i t' are cut in the uprights W W, and slots a ft (d c, of the same size as the slots i, are cut in the tumblers a a da.

lIhe stop-bars jjjj (see fig. 5) are of the same crosssection as the slots c* and 17 and are cast on the lockplate I, so as to come opposite the said slot a;

It is easily seen that when the slots a andt' are in line, the lock-plate I could be slid back, as the stop-bars jj could then slide through .these slots, and also that the sliding back of the lock-plate I would draw back the bolt Gr, by the action of the arms I I on said bolt, as seen in iig. 5.

`The outer part of the lock is composed of the case D, which has a cover composed of three pieces, all dcl, (see iig. 3,) which are secured in position by screws.

The spindle vM, which is provided with a suitable knob, not shown in the drawings, passes through the cover-piece d, down through the bottom of the case D, into the door C, where it enters into a square hole in the throw-shaft L, the end of the spindle-M being made square, as shown.

The throw-shaft L is, properly, a portion of the inner part of the lock, and is arranged as sllown, the pin B', on the cover B, serving to keep one elld of it in a proper position, while the other end extends through the frameplate A into the door O, as shown.

An arm, Il', is cast on the throw-shaft L, so thatby turliing the spindle M, by means of the knob on its end, at the outside of the door, the shifter-plate H can be forced back, or the lock-plate I moved back, as desired.

In the case D are arranged the lever-.wheels l P P P, which are fixed on the arbors N, which extend to the inner part of the lock, through the door C', as seen in fig. 3.

The. slide-bars Q Q Q Q are attached to the leverwheels P P by screws, as shown, andare arranged so as to slide in holes ill the rim of the case D, and holes in the posts g q1 q q, wllich are cast on the bottom of the case D.

The springs a u u u are'arranged on the wheels P P, as shown, and cause said wheels to assunle their original positioli, after having been turned, by pressing on the knobs q q on the slide-bars Q Q.

The arbors N may be made of a simple piece of round metal, if desired, as shown in lig. 2; butwllere the lock is 'to be adapted to doors of various thickv nevsses, they are made as shown in figs. 12, being made in two parts, N and N2, the first having a square crosssection, aiid the second a square hole, the two fitting together, as shown.

On the ends of the arbors N N, which project through the frame-plate A of the inner part of the lock, are fixed the pawl-wheels O O O O, in which are arranged the pawls p p p1), as shown in figs. 2 alid 4, which work in the ratchet on the ends of the ratcliet-whcels c c.

A thin tongue, m, is attached to the shifter-plate H, as shown, and fits in the grooves h1 h h h. of the ratchet-collars h.

It is readily seen, that by forcing back the shifterpla'te H, all theratchet-collars 7l It will be slid back on the arbors K K.

The change-bar R has-arranged in ita thin plate, n, which fits ill the grooves b b1 l) b in the tumbler-collars b b b b, and is provided with a collar, in which is cut` a female thread, which works in connection with the screw T, which is arranged in the uprights W and Z.

v It is readily seen, that by turning the screw lr, the tumbler-collars b b may be slid backand forth on the arbors K K. f

'llie tumbler-collars b b are provided with a slot, b2, aiid a pill, b3, is inserted in the arbor K, as shown in figs. 6 and 8, thus allowing the collars l) to slide on the arbors K, but not to rotate around said arbor.

In the face of tllecollar b is drilled a series of holes b, at a uniform distance from the aXis ofthe collar, and depending, in number, on the number of combinations to be made; and in the tlimblers a, a pin, a2, is inserted, so as to be at the same distance from the axis of the'arbor K as the holes ll* in the tumbler-collars b, from which it is readily seen, that when the tulnblers and tumbler-collars are brought together, the pins a can enter one of the holes bi, aild tlletumblers and collars be tlllis caused to revolve together.

A similar arrangement is iliade with the ratchetwheel c and ratchet-wheel collars h, where h2 represents the slots in the collars; h3, the' pins in the arbol-s K; h4, the pills -in the ratchet-wheel collars h and ci, the holes in the ratchet-wheel c, which holes are the same ill number as those in the tumbler-collars b.

It is evident that it is immaterial whether the piiis and holes are' arrangelil on the wheels, as shown, or whether they are placed in. an opposite position, the holes heilig made. ill the wheels, where the pins are shown, alld the pills being placed ill the wlleels where the holes are now shown.

The stop-pins w w w w are inserted in the uprights X X, as showli, one end acting in connect-ion with the stop-pin c on the arbor K, and the other end serving as a poilit of attachment to one end of the spiral spring c.

rIhe other end of this springe is attached to a pin in the ratchet-wheel collar h, from which it is readily seen that the spring e performs a double service, the first heilig that of pressing the collar Il. against the ratchet-wlleel c, alld the second being that of calising the arbor K to rotate back to its original position, after having been rotated therefrom by any action of the ratcllets c.

rlhe pins b3, ha, and c, are so arranged on the arbor K, that before the tumbler c is set at any number, the slot a shall be opposite the slot't', the stop-pin il against the stop w, as shown, and the springe at its minimum telisioil against rotation, the wheels a and b, and c and Il., being, at the same time, united by the pins a24 and h4, a-s before shown.

ratchet-wheels c, are the same in number as the holes Il and ci, in the tumbler-collar b alid ratchet-wheel c.

Small spring-pawls, g g g g, (see fig. 4,) are attached to the frame-plate A, and work in the teeth c ou the rotation of these wlleels.

The retaining-'plate J iskcpt in position by the catch t, which is provided with a spring, t', which forces the catch t ilito notches in the side of the plate J, as shown.

A notch, s, is cut in the side of the bolt G, and notch s is eut in the shifter-plate H.

It is readily see'n, that with the retaining-plate J in the position shown in fig. 5, the shifter-plate H could be moved back, the block r2 on the plate J sliding illto the notch s' ill the plate H, wllile the bolt G would also be free to slide' back; but if the plate J vbe slid toward the centre of the lock, the corner, lr, would enter the notch s, tllus preventing the bolt G from sliding back, while the block r2 would prevent the plate H from sliding back. f

If the plate J be moved from its present position, from the centre of the lock, the block r2 would prevent the plate H from sliding back, but -the bolt G would be free to slide.

Having tllus fully described the construction of my lock, its operation is readily seen.

Suppose the lock not to-be set on any combination, aiid let it be desired to set it.

The slots al andi heilig in line, the lock-plate I is slid hack, and held, by means of the knob-on the spindle4 M, the bars jj sliding into said slots, and thus holding the tiilnblers a a iii that position.

Then, by means of a key applied to the screw 1" through a hole in the side of the cover B, the 'changebar R is forced back, carrying back with it the tumbler-collars l).

of nulnbcrs, of which each iiulnber must be less than the ililnlber of holes bi-as, for example the numbers 3, 5, 7., Q-press on one of the knobs q on the slidebars Q, in the outer part of the lock, three times. Tllese three pressures will cause anl advance of the ratchet-wheel c three teeth, by reason of the action of the pawl p, ill the pawl-whcel O, on the arbor N, which carries the lever-wheel P, to which the slide-bar Q is attached.

In the same manner, the other ratchet-wheels C are caused to advance five, seven, and two teeth, respectively.

By means o f the key on the screw r, the changebar R is then slid back, bringing with it the tumblercollars b l, and forcing the pins a2 into one of thc holes li, as before sllown.

The knob on the spindle M being now loosened, the

rlhe teetll c alld 02,011 the face and end of the ratchet-wheels e, tllus serving to prevent any backward Then, to set the lock to any particular combination spring U forces forward the bolt G, which draws tbe stop-bars jj from the slotst' a", by reason of the action of thebolt G on the arms I I of the lock-plate I.

Now, it is evident that the advancing of the ratchet- 'Wheels c c caused a rotary tension of the springs e e, and turned the stop-pins 'u u away from the stop-pins 'w w. Consequently, if the shifter-plate H be forced back, by means of the arm Il of the throw-shaft L, which is acted on by the knob on the spindle M, until the pins h4 h4 are free from the holes c1 c" in the ratchet-wheels c c, thevarbors K K will be turned back by the action of the springs c e, until the pins c c strike the pins w w, and this turning back will cause a turning back of' the tumblers a a, thereby throwing the slots 'i i and al a out of line, thus preventing the lock-plate I, and consequently the bolt G, from being forced. back by :means of the knob on the spindle M, at the outside of the'fdoor.

If,'no\v, the same number of pressures be applied to the same knobs q q, on the outside of the door, as were applied in setting the lock to its combination, it is evident that the slots a* al and i t will be brought in line, and the plate I, with bolt G, can then be slid back.

If, with the tumblers in this position, the retainingplate J be slid, so as to prevent the shifter-plate H from sliding back, the door cannot be locked from the outside., as vstated in the rst part of this specification.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of my improvedlock,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The slide-bar Q, when used to produce a rotary motion `of the arbor N, which connects the outer with the inner portion of the lock, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

2. Ihe tumbler a, with slot a, and tumbler-collarb, with slot b2, and grooveb, when arranged and combined on the arbor K, by pin a2 and holes b4, or their equivalents, substantially in the manner and for the purpose speciiied.

3. The ratchet-wheel c, with face-teeth c* and endteeth c2, when used in combination with the pawljp on the arbor N, and the spring-pawl g, substantially in the manner and for thepurpose specified.

4. The upright, X, with stop w, tumbler-arbor K, with stop c, and pins il? and b3, ratchet-wheel collar h, ratchet-wheelc, tumbler-'collar 11and tumbler a, the several parts being arranged and combined, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.`

5. The combination of the spring e, ratchet-Wheel collar h, arbor K, and upright, X, when said spring e is subjected to both a compressive and torsional strain, the several parts being arranged in the manner herein specified.

6'. The shifter-plate H, with the tongue m attached thereto, when used in combination with the ratchetwheel collars 71 71 substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

7. The lock-plate I I' I', with stop-bars j j, when used in combination with the bolt G and tumblers a a, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

S. The retaining-plate J, with knob T and block 1', when used in coinbination'with the shifter-plate H and bolt G, substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

9. The change-bar R, with thin plate An and screw r,

or its equivalent, when used in 'combination with the tumbler-collars b b, substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

10. The spindle M and tl'noW-s'haft L, with arm L', when used in combination with the shifter-plate H and lock-plate I, substantially as and for the purpose herein 'specied l1. Ihe slide-bar Q, lever-wheel I, arbor N, pawlwheel O, paul p, ratchet-Wheel c, arbor K, ratchetwheel collar 71, tumbler-collar b, tumbler a, lock-plate I I I', and bolt G, the several parts being constructed,

connected, and arranged, substantially-as and for the.

purpose herein specifiedy As evidence that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, tais 27th day of April, AJ). 1868.

H. S. LELAND.

NVitnesses: l

CLARKsoN BARNABY, JOHN N. PAXROW. 

